Health Care Reform:

Health Insurance & Affordable Care Act

Read this article for information about COBRA coverage, for which you're eligible when you leave your job and lose your group health coverage.

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Health Benefits Under the COBRA

Paying for COBRA Coverage continued...

Premiums due may be increased if the costs to the plan increase but generally must be fixed in advance of each 12-month premium cycle. The plan must allow you to pay premiums on a monthly basis if you ask to do so.

The initial premium payment must be made within 45 days after the date of the COBRA election by the qualified beneficiary. Payment generally must cover the period of coverage from the date of COBRA election retroactive to the date of the loss of coverage due to the qualifying event. Premiums for successive periods of coverage are due on the date stated in the plan with a minimum 30-day grace period for payments.

The due date may not be prior to the first day of the period of coverage. For example, the due date for the month of January could not be prior to January 1 and coverage for January could not be cancelled if payment is made by January 31.

Premiums for the rest of the COBRA period must be made within 30 days after the due date for each such premium or such longer period as provided by the plan. The plan, however, is not obligated to send monthly premium notices.

COBRA beneficiaries remain subject to the rules of the plan and therefore must satisfy all costs related to deductibles, catastrophic and other benefit limits.

Claims Procedures

Health plan rules must explain how to obtain benefits and must include written procedures for processing claims. Claims procedures are to be included in the SPD booklet.

You should submit a written claim for benefits to whomever is designated to operate the health plan (employer, plan administrator, etc.). If the claim is denied, notice of denial must be in writing and furnished generally within 90 days after the claim is filed. The notice should state the reasons for the denial, any additional information needed to support the claim and procedures for appealing the denial.

You have 60 days to appeal a denial and must receive a decision on the appeal within 60 days after that unless the plan:

provides for a special hearing, or

the decision must be made by a group which meets only on a periodic basis.

Contact the plan administrator for more information on filing a claim for benefits. Complete plan rules are available from employers or benefits offices. There can be charges up to 25 cents a page for copies of plan rules.